1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slim type portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a slim type portable terminal which has a reduced thickness, thereby achieving the slimness thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication terminal” refers to an electronic device which a user can carry while wirelessly communicating with another user. Such a portable communication terminal includes hand-held phones, CT-2 cellular phones, digital phones, Personal Communication Service phones (PCS phones), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and the like. Conventional portable terminals may be classified into various types according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable terminals, flip-type portable terminals, and folder-type portable terminals. The bar-type portable terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable terminal has a flip panel or a cover which is pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable terminal has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can rotate in order to be folded on or unfolded from the housing.
Further, portable terminals may be classified as rotation-type terminals and sliding-type terminals according to the methods of opening and closing the terminals. In the rotation-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while the two are facing each other. In the sliding-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner that one housing slides to be opened or closed relative to the other. The various classifications of portable terminals are easily understood by those skilled in the art. On the other hand, the listed conventional portable terminals indispensably include an antenna unit, data input/output unit, and data transmission and reception unit. A keypad, which a user pushes with his/her fingers to input data, is generally used as the data input unit. Further, a touch pad or a touch screen may be used as the data input unit.
In addition, a liquid crystal display is generally used to display data in order to output the data. Further, the conventional portable communication terminal is provided with a camera lens for pictures in order to perform an image communication. Thus, a user can perform image communication with another user using the portable terminal having the camera lens, or take a picture of any object.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a sliding type portable terminal 10 among the various types of the portable terminals will be described.
The sliding type portable terminal 10 includes a body housing 20, and a sliding housing 30 sliding by a predetermined distance along the body housing 20 in a lengthwise direction, which has an advantage of satisfying users' various tastes.
The sliding type portable terminal 10 includes a body housing 20 and a sliding housing 30 sliding upward or downward with respect to the body housing 20, by a half length of the body housing 20 to be open. The sliding housing 30 includes a sliding keypad 31, liquid crystal display unit (LCD) 32 for displaying data, and speaker unit 33, all of which are mounted on a surface thereof, while the body housing 20 has a body keypad 21 of 3×4 metrics and microphone unit 22 which are provided therefor.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, such a sliding type portable terminal 10 has a following structure.
The sliding type housing 30 includes a front cover 30a and a rear cover (not shown). A printed circuit board (PCB) 34 for the liquid crystal display unit (LCD) 32 is mounted in the front cover 30a. 
The liquid crystal display unit 32 is adhered to the front cover 30a by a double sided tape or adhesive agent (not shown). The speaker unit 33 is disposed adjacent to an upper end of the liquid crystal display unit 32. A connector 34a is mounted on the printed circuit board 34 and electrically connected to the speaker unit 33.
As shown in FIG. 2, the speaker unit 33 has a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 33a for electrically connecting the speaker unit 33 to the connector 34a of the printed circuit board 34. The flexible printed circuit board 33a in which a fine circuit is printed on a thin plate of flexible plastic material, and the connector 34a are used as an electric connection for electrically connecting the printed circuit board 34.
A plurality of parts 35 are mounted on the printed circuit board 34 while being electrically connected to one another to transmit and receive electric power and signals to/from one another.
In an exemplary implementation, a buffer member 36, such as a sponge, is disposed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board 34 to prevent the liquid crystal display unit 32 and the plurality of parts 35 of the portable terminal from being damaged by external impact.
However, since the conventional sliding type portable terminal has the structure in that the liquid crystal display unit is mounted on the front cover, the printed circuit board is stacked on an upper surface of the liquid crystal display unit, and the buffer member is stacked on and attached to the upper surface of the printed circuit plate, the thickness of the portable terminal increases, thereby making it difficult to achieve miniaturization and slimness of the portable terminal.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved portable terminal comprising an overall slimness for reduced thickness.